1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods and devices for inventory control and, in particular, this invention relates to methods and devices for preventing pilferage of high value inventory items.
2. Background of the Invention
Previously, restricting the sale of restricted items to minors was largely a matter left to merchants. The perceived failure of merchants to require identification verifying that a prospective buyer was of a sufficient age to purchase these items has led to more wide scale enforcement efforts and increased penalties when stores were detected selling these items to minors. Some of these infractions were due to employees failing to check identification in spite of the owners"" directives to do so. Moreover, many of these restricted items have high cash values. Because of these high values, employees have increased incentives to either steal these items or to provide them to their friends without receiving payment.
Coin-operated vending machines were formerly widely used to sell cigarettes. However, minors were often easily able to obtain cigarettes from these machines because the machines were frequently in locations where it was not convenient or impossible for proprietors to determine the ages of prospective buyers. Law makers began to view these vending machines with disfavor because they provided a perceived easy method for minors to purchase cigarettes. Over the past few years, the formerly ubiquitous coin-operated cigarette vending machine has all but disappeared. Legislative attempts to control the sale of cigarettes to minors have mandated the disappearance of these vending machines.
In many establishments, cigarettes are now kept in open racks behind a counter or bar to be sold by an individual, such as a cashier. Upon receiving a request to buy cigarettes, the cashier presumably examines the customer""s identification to verify that the customer is old enough to purchase cigarettes. If the customer is old enough to purchase cigarettes, the cashier receives the money from the customer, retrieves the cigarettes from the rack, and presents the cigarettes to the customer. This system provides a reasonable level of control to prevent under age customers from purchasing cigarettes. However, this system introduces a new problem for the business.
One problem presented by the above-described system is pilferage of the cigarettes by the cashier. Because a package of cigarettes is a reasonably high-value item, cashiers have an incentive to pilfer merchandise of this nature. Thus, the above-described system has a disadvantage in that it is quite easy for the cashier to merely remove a pack of cigarettes for the cashier""s personal use or to give to a friend or preferred customer free of charge. In view of this disadvantage, there is a need for an inventory control system and method for dispensing merchandise, such as cigarettes, which limits access of the cigarettes to under age persons, yet minimizes the likelihood of pilferage.
The inventory control system and method of the present invention substantially meet the aforementioned needs of the industry. The inventory control system and method require interface between the customer and a person staffing the counter or bar in order that the identification of a person purchasing cigarettes is examined in order to eliminate or minimize the distribution of cigarettes to minors. Beyond that, cigarettes are maintained in a lot dispenser, the dispenser operable only by special tokens, or the like, made particularly to actuate the dispenser. Such a dispenser meets the mandates of laws governing dispensing of cigarettes, and that it is not operable by coins of the realm. Moreover, by being operable only by a special tokens, the dispenser provides for accountability and control of the cigarette package inventory and minimizes the likelihood of pilferage by persons staffing the counter or bar.
It is therefore an object of this invention, to provide a mechanism for dispensing a first unit of merchandise, the mechanism including a token, a reservoir, and actuator, and a dispensing unit. The token may include a noncurrency configuration. The reservoir stores unsold merchandise units. The actuator defines an opening, the opening configured to except the token and is operated by being rotated with a token is inserted in the actuator opening. The dispensing unit is in mechanical or electrical communication with the actuator and dispenses a single merchandise unit when the actuator is operated.
A further object provides a method of dispensing a unit of merchandise using a machine. The machine may include a structure defining a storage compartment, and actuating mechanism, and a metering mechanism. The structure may be configured to store a plurality of the merchandise units. The actuating mechanism may define an opening, the opening dimensioned and configured to except a noncurrency token. The actuating mechanism maybe operable only plan the token is present in the opening of the actuating mechanism. The metering mechanism is operated by the actuating mechanism and may be configured to dispense one of the merchandise units when operated by the actuating mechanism. The method includes 1) receiving a request for one of the merchandise units; 2) placing the token in the actuating mechanism opening; 3) operating the actuating mechanism with a token present therein, the metering mechanism releasing the merchandise unit in response to operating the actuating mechanism; and 4) providing the merchandise unit to a customer.
Additional objects, advantages, and features of various embodiments of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of various embodiments of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.